RULES OF THE FA CHALLENGE CUP COMPETITION 1. CONTROL OF COMPETITION – RULES AND REGULATIONS (a) The ownership, organisation, control and management of the Competition and any rights associated with it of any nature shall be vested entirely and exclusively in The Association. (b) The Professional Game Board shall have the power to make, delete and amend regulations for the organisation, control and management of the Competition as it, from time to time, deems expedient (the “Competition Rules”) subject only to the authority of the Board where such matters relate to financial or commercial matters. (c) All Clubs and Players participating in any way in the Competition shall be bound by and comply with the Competition Rules (and any rules or regulations issued pursuant to the Competition Rules). (d) The Professional Game Board shall have the power to make decisions on all matters arising out of or in relation to the organisation, control and management of the Competition (including as to eligibility and qualification) which shall be final and binding on all participants in the Competition. In relation to these and any other matters relating to the Competition but not specifically mentioned in the Competition Rules, the Professional Game Board shall have the power to take such action and make such decisions, orders, rulings and impose such penalties as it deems necessary and following such procedures as it considers appropriate and such shall, subject to Rule 31, be final and binding on all Participants. In considering such matters, the Professional Game Board shall not be bound by any enactment or Rule of Law relating to the admissibility of evidence in proceeding before a Court of Law. (e) The Professional Game Board may, at its sole discretion, appoint from time to time a Committee to take such action and make such decisions, orders, rulings and impose penalties on its behalf which shall be deemed decisions of the Professional Game Board. (f) A Club participating in the Competition shall have only such rights in relation to the Competition (and any match in the Competition) as are expressly granted to the Club under the Competition Rules or by The Association in writing. (g) In addition to any other action or penalty, the Professional Game Board shall have the power to disqualify any competing Club, or Player for any competing Club(s), which it determines to have breached the Rules of The Association or the Competition Rules (and any rules or regulations issued pursuant to the Competition Rules), and the decision of the Professional Game Board shall be final and binding. 2. CONTROL OF COMPETITION - COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS (a) In relation to each match in the Competition, The Association shall itself be exclusively entitled to, or otherwise to authorise or grant to others, rights of access to and attendance at the ground of the Home Club (“Access Rights”) for the purposes of transmitting or filming or otherwise recording on or by any media, any audio and/or visual materials depicting or describing all or any part or parts of a match (the “Copyright Materials”). (b) In relation to each match in the Competition, The Association shall itself be exclusively entitled throughout the world, or to grant to or otherwise authorise others: (i) on a live, delayed, recorded or highlighted basis to broadcast or otherwise transmit by any method whatsoever (now known or hereinafter devised) the Copyright Materials by way of any and all forms of television or similar technology (now known or hereinafter devised) including, without limitation, free to air television, pay television, pay per view, “not-video-on-demand” internet or other on-line media and “video-on- demand” (the “Television Rights”). (ii) on a live or delayed basis to broadcast or to otherwise transmit the Copyright Materials (or audio) by way of radio broadcast or internet, or other on-line media or similar technology (now known or hereinafter devised) (the “Radio Rights”). (iii) to use, sell, publish, distribute and otherwise exploit the Copyright Materials in any manner whatsoever including, without limitation, clip licensing, videos, videograms, CD Rom, CDI, internet or other on-line media (the “Footage Rights”). (c) In relation to each match in the Competition, the Association shall be exclusively entitled, either by itself or to authorise others, to use sell or otherwise exploit all commercial and other marketing rights associated with the Competition including, without limitation, fixture list copyright, sponsorship, supplier rights, licences, perimeter board branding or other commercial arrangements (the “Marketing Rights”). (d) Clubs shall comply with the terms of all contracts entered into by The Association from time to time in relation to Access Rights, the Television Rights, the Radio Rights, the Footage Rights and the Marketing Rights (collectively the “Commercial Contracts”) in relation to the Competition. (e) Clubs shall provide access to grounds and provide all other rights, facilities and services as may be necessary to enable The Association to fulfil the Commercial Contracts. (f) The Clubs acknowledge that The Association may issue more detailed rules and regulations regarding the provisions of the Commercial Contracts (including, but not limited to in relation to, broadcasting, perimeter board advertising, interview backdrops, centre circle banners, side of goal mats, substitute/added time boards, tickets and match programmes) and the Clubs agree that they shall be bound by such rules and regulations as amended from time to time by The Association. (g) Each Club undertakes to indemnify and keep indemnified The Association and its officers, directors, employees and authorised representatives from and against any claims for direct or consequential loss or damage by any party to a Commercial Contract caused or otherwise attributable to any failure or any breach by the Club fully to perform or observe its obligations and responsibilities under these provisions. (h) Nothing in the above shall be construed or interpreted so as to prevent or restrict Clubs, subject to applicable FIFA, UEFA or other rules or regulations or decisions of The Association, from entering into commercial arrangements in relation to matches in the Competition which do not in any way conflict with the Commercial Contracts and duties of Clubs as set out herein (and in any other rules or regulations issued by The Association in accordance with this paragraph). (i) In relation to the Commercial Contracts, The Association shall make provision for payments to Clubs as it shall from time to time consider appropriate. 3. NAME / LOGO AND IMAGES OF THE COMPETITION AND IMAGES OF THE TROPHY (a) The Competition shall be called ‘The Football Association Challenge Cup’. The Competition shall be marketed under the title ‘The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON’ (the “Official Title”). (b) Each Club shall include the Official Title at least once on all materials produced by or on behalf of it which relate to the Competition (including, but not limited to, tickets, programmes, press releases and (where possible) scoreboard displays) and (where possible) shall refer to the Official Title at least once over (any) public address system operating on the day of each FA Cup match. (c) The Association shall from time to time issue a FA Cup Logo. The FA Cup Logo may incorporate branding for The lead FA Cup sponsor. (d) In the Competition Proper, each participating Club shall include The FA Cup Logo on all FA Cup communication materials produced by or on behalf of it (including, but not limited to, the front page of each FA Cup match programme, match tickets (if it is not possible to include The FA Cup Logo on tickets the Club shall include a reference to the Official Title), fixture posters, stadium giant screens (if any) and Club websites). (e) The Association will from time to time issue images of The FA Cup to Clubs. The ribbons attached to The FA Cup in the image will incorporate branding for the lead FA Cup Sponsor. (f) If a Club wishes to use an image of The FA Cup it shall use the image issued by The Association and will follow any directions issued by The Association in relation to the use of such image. 4. ORGANISATION OF THE COMPETITION (a) There shall be a Qualifying Competition and a Competition Proper. (b) The Competition Proper shall consist of the following numbers of Clubs: (i) 92 Clubs selected by the Professional Game Board and exempted from playing in the Qualifying Competition. (ii) 32 Clubs from the Qualifying Competition. (c) The Qualifying Competition shall consist of all Clubs admitted to participate in the Competition, in accordance with Rule 5, except the 92 Clubs referred to in Rule 4(b)(i) (d) Exemption from Rounds of Competition: (i) 44 Clubs shall be exempted until the Third Round of the Competition Proper. (ii) 48 Clubs shall be exempted until the First Round of the Competition Proper. (iii) 24 Clubs shall be exempted until the Fourth Round of the Qualifying Competition. (iv) 44 Clubs shall be exempted until the Second Round of the Qualifying Competition. (v) 65 Clubs shall be exempted until the First Round of the Qualifying Competition. (vi) 131 Clubs shall be exempted until the Preliminary Round of the Qualifying Competition. (e) The Qualifying Competition shall be played on a geographical basis. 5. ELIGIBLE CLUBS (a) Participation in the Competition shall be open to: (i) all Clubs taking part in a senior League or Competition sanctioned by The Association or an affiliated Association as determined by The Association from time to time. (ii) Clubs affiliated to The Football Association of Wales participating in The FA Premier League, The Football League or The FA Challenge Trophy Competition. (b) A Club not participating in The FA Premier League or The Football League Competitions must have competed in either The FA Challenge Trophy or the FA Challenge Vase Competitions in the previous season, and must be accepted into a League for the current season which is considered to be acceptable for entry into the Challenge Cup Competition.